Hand-rest for penmen



(No Model.)

J. RIDGE.

HAND BEST FOR PENMEN.

N0. 266,316. Patented 0013. 24, 1882.

I UNrTan STaTes JOSEPH amen, or

PAT NT @rrrce...

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HAND-REST FOR PENMEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,316, dated October24, 1882.

Application filed April 25, 1881. Renewed March 2, 1882.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH RIDGE, of Ohicago,State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHand-Rests for Penmen; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an appliance whereby students of penmanship andothers may acquire a proper position of the hand in writing, andwhereby, also, the movements of the hand are facilitated and itstendency to cramp, itany exist, is relieved.

Tothisendsaidinvention consistsin the combinations and features ofconstruction hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure lshowsahand with a hand-rest which contains allthe features of my improvements applied thereto as in use. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the rest detached from the hand, and Fig. 3 is abottom view of the same.

In the drawings an appliance is shown completeforthe several purposesofmy inventionnamely, supporting the wrist, holding the hand fromturning over outward, and confining the two outer fingers beneath thehand. Said appliance is also illustrated as being made ofa single pieceof light spring brass wire, with the addition ofa metal plate clampedupon the wire beneath the wrist and covering the springsupport at thispoint. The direction in which the wire is bent to form the several partsof the device is so plain from the drawings as to require little furtherdescription. At one extremity said wire forms the rings 11 and b. Theother end will be seen clamped about the close spiral a. Tracing thecourse of the wire from this end, it leads hack and forms the loops dand cl and the vertical open spiral A. The upper coil of this spiral iselongated to form two lateral loops, which, with loops d and d, areembraced within the clamps a of the plate a, for the purpose of holdingthese parts firmly together. The wire leads from the bottom coil ofspring A off to the right (No model.)

and a little forward, where it forms the close horizontal spiral a, andthence leads forward slightly and upward, terminating in the rings 1)and b.

, The loops (1 and d are intended to flexibly clasp the wrist, as seenin Fig.1, and to thereby hold the appliance upon the hand. The rings 1)and b encircle the third and fourth fingers, respectively, as alsoshown,and by the slight force of the elastic arm on which they areformed retain them in proper position beneath the palm, with their tipstouching the paper. The wire of which the rest is made being light andflexible, as described, the entire hand is allowed all proper andnecessary freedom of movement in the act of writing.

The arm ca projects, as stated, to the right of the hand and operates toprevent the latter from turning over too far in that direction. Saidarm, in the use of the appliance, rests its. entire length on the paperor table. The wrist being elevated by the spring A, the arm of thewriter bears mainly on the muscles near the elbow, and the hand hastherefore perfect freedom in its lateral movements. The support A, whileeducating and accustoming the V band to the desired elevated position,being a spring, also allows such slight variations in the elevation ofthe wrist as naturally attend the movements of the muscles in writing,and is not therefore seriously missed when at last laid aside. Theplaten not only serves to confine the wires upon which it is clamped,butit also furnishes a smooth surface, upon which the wrist comfortablyrests.

It is of course obvious that the clasps and arms of the appliance may beconstructed of light steel strips or other suitable material, and thatthe spring or flexible support A may be in other form than that of aspiral here shown, wherefore I do not restrict myself to the formationof the rest of wire.

I claim as my invention 1. The elastic wrist-support A, combined with afastening for holding the same to the hand, and with the lateral arm a,substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. Combined with the wrist-support A and clasp d d, the rings 1) and band an elastic connection joining them to the clasp, substanmy inventionI affix my signature in presence tially as described. oftwo witnesses.

3. The combination of the elastic wrist-sup- 7 port A, clasp d d,lateral arm a a, and rings JOSEPH RIDGE 5 b and b, substantially as andfor the purposes Witnesses:

set forth. M. E. DAYTON, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 1JESSE COX, Jr.

